Often Irreverent, Mostly Rational Blog for Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays. One Day, We'll Be Perfect.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

So what Vernon is saying is...

So, if we're reading every story put out yesterday by every writer covering the Jays correctly, Vernon Wells is starting to feel like this is his team.

Really. Seriously, Vernon. That's where you want to go with this.

Somehow, over the past dozen years, there was something missing for you, because there were always those pesky folks blocking your way. Like Carlos Delgado. Or Roy Halladay. But now that those perennial All-Stars, Silver Sluggers, Cy Young winners and Sporting News AL Players of the Year are out of the way, you can feel comfortable enough to stretch your shit out and feel like the man of the house around Dunedin.

(Never mind the fact that there are two incumbent Silver Sluggers in your lineup who are on the cover of the Canadian editions of all the baseball preview magazines this year. Ignore that altogether.)

And here's the really sad part for us fans: If this has somehow become "Vernon's Team", it is due far more to the attrition of talent around him rather than his stepping forward and claiming that title for himself in any of the past four seasons.

And don't get us wrong here: We would really love to see Vernon and his Manboobs of Glory triumph over the AL and have him go 30/100 again. We even suspect that he could do it. But to be frank, there's something that is way wrong in that dude's head.

It's frustrating to me how every single spring, Vernon has a new reason why he's going to be huge. Best shape of his life. Hammies feel better. Wrist feels better. My team now. Whatever. Just do what we all want you to do and be an above aveage major league ballplayer. Forget about the insane contract. You'll never "earn" it. Just fucking perform.

When I took a look at the website for Vernon's charity, there was a not so subtle sense that he's decided that "there are more important things in life than baseball...like hosting lots of charity barbecues."

And you know what? There ARE lots of things in this world that are more important than baseball, but if dude wants to walk the Earth like Kwai Chang Caine, then do it, but walk the fuck away from that contract and leave those of us who have our priorities completely out of whack to indulge in a fantasy of a baseball team with an extra $20 mill of salary space.

(And yeah, I realize this is all shallow and unfair. Why is it so goddamned hard to get behind Vernon?)

Well, now that the unequivocal leadership of the team has been ceded by Kevin Millar, I guess it is up for grabs. Like a banana republic after the CIA assassinates the democratically elected president, these leaders in waiting may want to be careful what they wish for.

Peel the bulls eye off your back, place it neatly in the manila envelope and send it back through intra-office mail. Let the guy with the shakiest command of the English language be the leader and give ALL interviews.

Leadership aside, its nice to see that by all reports he has come to camp thinner. The guy is 6-1 and last year I think he was at 235 lbs, trying to play centre. At that weight he's probably one of the heaviest centre fielders in the majors.

As a guy who has battled weight (okay battle is definately the wrong word, watched my weight increase year after year) I have no idea how a guy could play centre at 235 lbs. Hell I can feel it in day to day activities when I'm 5 pounds lighter, let alone trying to play CF.

I think we'll see a resurgence in VDub at this lower weight (30 lbs by some estimates), and if not then he is probably done.

I do agree I think vern's charity work and other non baseball related activities have taken away from his focus on the field too.

As the most experienced player on the team, Vernon thinks that he carries a greater responsibility now. That might not be the reality of the situation, but I can't see how you can fault him for having that confidence in himself and his leadership ability.

Either way, ragging on Vernon Wells because he thinks he's a leader in the clubhouse is pretty fucking low. It's so much easier to comment on his inability to hit or field without getting into character assassinations like "there is something way wrong in that dude's head."

No, but...clearly, there IS something wrong in that dude's head. As evidenced by the fact that he's only starting to have that sort of a realization.

It just seems as though he has to be bashed over the head with the facts before he can see them right in front of him. That goes for the way that he dealt with his struggles at the plate and in the field as well.

So basically you're bashing him for his good intentions right now and the fact that he's saying all the right things in the absence of Roy Halladay. Yeah...fuck Vernon for acting confidently and taking on a "leadership role" as he becomes the longest tenured player...doesn't he know that he sucks!?!

It's as if you're just making up reasons to hate the guy outside of his poor performance. Completely unnecessary...he's a good guy.

Hey man, I kinda LIKE Vernon. But then again, most of my friends are aging adolescents who have spent the bulk of their 30's avoiding adult responsibilities. So I have a type. And if those aging adolescents started showing responsibility, I'm sure you'd start hating on them as well.

good thing you're against the ad hominem attacks. Attack the guy all you want. But have an actual, legitimate reason for it. In regard to you, I did.